Tuesday, January 4, 2011

pineapple powers pork

The new year brings great things. Such as, taco month.


What better way to ring in the new year than achiote seasoned slow cooked pork wrapped in banana leaves served on a taco with pineapple salsa?

Slow-Cooked Achiote Pork by Top Chef Masters winner, Rick Bayless

Serves 6

Half a 3.5oz package of achiote seasoning (Rick recommends Yucateco brand)
3/4 cup fresh lime juice (divided use)
Salt
Half a 1-pound package banana leaves (I found mine frozen)
3 lb bone-in pork shoulder roast
1 large white onion, sliced 1/4 inch thick
1 large red onion, thinly sliced
1 cup water
6 oz beer (not part of the master's recipe, but I find that slow cooked dishes really like a drink. They deserve it - all that hard work to make the food tasty.)

Mix the achiote seasoning with 1/2 c of the lime juice and 2 teaspoons of salt. Mix into a smooth, thick marinade.

Line your slow cooker or dutch oven with banana leaves. One goes accross the length, and the other accross the width. Lay in the pork and pour the marinade over the meat. Scatter the white onion over the meat. Pour 1 c water around the meat and half of the beer you're drinking. Wrap up the meat with the banana leaves.





Cover and slow cook on high for 6 hours (the dish can hold on the slow-cooker's "keep warm" function for 4 more hours or so). Alternatively, cover and slow cook in a 300 degree oven for 3 hours, then turn down and cook at 250 for another hour.

While the meat is cooking, place the red onion in a quarter cup of lime or lemon juice to marinate. Stir occassionally.


Eating delicious snacks is a crucial component of slow cooking pork. Enter Marcia's famous taco dip:

 


While the meat cooks, make pineapple salsa.

Pineapple Salsa:
1 pineapple, diced (1/2 inch cubes)
1 red pepper, diced (1/2 inch cubes)
2 serrano peppers, minced
1/2 red onion, minced
juice from 2-3 limes
1 cup chopped cilantro

Mix. Grab a chip. Dip.


 Before you know it, the pork is done:



When the pork is finished cooking (it falls off the bone), pour the extra liquid into a sauce pan and heat on medium-high until reduced to a sauce of your desired consistency.

Assemble taco on a soft corn tortilla with meat, a tablespoon of sauce, marinated onions and pineapple salsa.


7 comments:

  1. Les, this is hard. core. Great way to kick off taco month! Slow cooked pork is on my 2011 to-cook list. It may or may not be in the form of tacos.

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  2. I love pinapple mixed with savory stuff. Like pineapple pizza. Mmmmmmm

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  3. Jax - this was super easy and yummy. Can't wait to hear about yours!

    Jenna - Agreed! What about pineapple salsa pizza? yummmy

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  4. Yay - Powers Pork! The pork had an interesting spice to it, like nothing I'd had before. I think the banana leaves may have had something to do with it! Jenna, the salsa was so yummy. I want to try to make it, although I hate cutting up pineapples!

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  5. i love rick bayless.

    i think pineapple pizza's gross though...

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  6. Impressive! I'm drooling on my keyboard right now. And it's taco month? No one told me...haha some food blogger I am. I can't wait make this. MMMM

    Cheers,

    Steph

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  7. Steph - I hope you make the pork, because it was very delicious! Haha, I made up taco month because I love tacos . . .

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